


i'm with you in the dark

by tryingthymes



Category: Dream SMP - Fandom, Minecraft (Video Game), Video Blogging RPF
Genre: Alternate Timelines, Dream Team SMP Spoilers, During Canon, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Flash Forward, Karl Jacobs-centric, M/M, Mentioned Cara | CaptainPuffy, Mentioned Darryl Noveschosch, Mentioned Luke | Punz, Mentioned Ranboo (Video Blogging RPF), Mentioned Sam | Awesamdude, Present Tense, Protective Karl Jacobs, Time Travelling Karl Jacobs, Web Series: Tales from the SMP
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-12
Updated: 2021-02-12
Packaged: 2021-03-18 16:40:46
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,103
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29371728
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/tryingthymes/pseuds/tryingthymes
Summary: Karl's seen more timelines than he can count. He knows when Sapnap is supposed to visit Dream. It's not supposed to be today.or: a karlnap fic set during sapnap's most recent stream.
Relationships: Karl Jacobs/Sapnap
Comments: 14
Kudos: 160
Collections: Fanfics I’d eat again at 3 am and already have





	i'm with you in the dark

**Author's Note:**

> sapnap's most recent stream "working on the new lands" ([vod](https://www.twitch.tv/videos/908194549)/[youtube](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7gHBdyl-pWs)) inspired me SOME type of way. but in a Time Traveler Karl Jacobs type of way. 
> 
> i did so much research for this LMAO. like, did you know: sapnap, punz, and eret [built church prime](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1ysxx0pnOYM)? a handful of places mentioned in this fic were pulled directly from karl's [stream](https://www.twitch.tv/videos/908069940) on the same night as sapnap's! 
> 
> this is my first time writing any of these characters jkahkjshdf hopefully i did okay!! enjoy!! <3

Karl pauses. Closes his eyes. Takes a deep breath. 

He's been fading again. The voices of his friends around him are muffled, as if he's hearing them from underwater. His head is fuzzy, as if confused about whether or not it belongs in this timeline. A breeze brushes through him, as if he isn't even there. It doesn't make sense. He _just_ got back from traveling. He can still taste the wine, can still smell Sebastian's blood, can still feel James' arms wrapped around his waist as… as they danced… 

Karl blinks. 

James. 

Sapnap. 

Where is Sapnap?

He looks around, squinting in the sunlight. Bad and Foolish are working on the library, fussing about the symmetry. George has moved from his supervising hole to lounging underneath the first mushroom they'd grown. Sapnap… 

"Did anyone see where Sap went?" Karl asks. They don't seem to hear him at first and, for a moment, he wonders if he's wandered too long, if he's already slipping away. He raises his voice, "hey, nimrods! Where's Sapnap?"

Bad drops his axe, startled by Karl's tone. Foolish doesn't look up from his current task, which Karl supposes is an answer enough all its own. He can only hope the other two weren't so focused as to also not notice Sapnap's disappearance. 

"We were joking around about Dream," Bad says, with a wince. "That he was touring Foolish's summer home."

When George pipes up, he sounds bitter. "Said he was going to the prison."

"Why?" Karl snaps, sharp without meaning to be. 

"To visit Dream? Hell if I know." 

"Language," Bad cuts in. "He might just be making sure with Sam that everything's as it should be." 

Karl opens his comms and messages Sam. _is sapnap with u?_

"Karl, I'm sure he's fine. He's the tough guy, right? He'll be back in no time!" 

He wouldn't need to be back in no time if he hadn't left at all. Karl doesn't remember this happening. Sapnap isn't supposed to visit Dream _today._ He's supposed to visit with George, albeit in separate turns, but together nonetheless. Karl worries his bottom lip between his teeth and begins to pace, waiting for a reply from the Warden. Bad might be talking again, asking Karl's approval on something maybe, but it goes in one ear and out the other. What good is having his library and writing stuff down so he doesn't forget if things are going to change anyway? His wrist buzzes and he brings his arm up to look at his messenger. 

It's from Sam. It says one thing. _Yes._

Karl opens his texts with Sapnap. _why'd u leave?_ :[ 

Sapnap replies much quicker. _Had to check something. Be back soon_ <3

 _can't u be back now instead_ If Karl focuses enough, he can hear Sapnap's laugh at the request. As it is, Sapnap doesn't answer at all. 

"I'm gonna go —" Karl pauses. He's already putting his armor away, so that it can't slow him down. Prime, he's got to stop losing time like this. "We… we need glass. For the roof… windows. I'll be right back." It's a weak excuse. He doesn't stay long enough for any of them to question it. 

His feet are carrying him back to the SMP automatically, which is lucky for him, because he can hardly focus enough to do it himself. He passes the lagoon (squids, not Blockbeard's), passes the untouched flower field (it reminds him of Mizu's tree dome), passes the barn (unbeknownst to her, he'd helped Alyssa collect materials), passes the crater of the Great Meteorite of 1976 (George can think it's made up, that's fine). He hesitates at Spawn. He wonders what it says that the first place new members see is such a disaster. He continues, spares a glance at George's old house; thinks of timelines where it's still standing, where Tommy's safe in L'Manberg, where obsidian walls were never a concern. 

He stops once more at the Community House. At first, it's just to catch his breath, but then he realizes he still has Puffy's enchanting table and bookshelves on him. He checks his comms again. Still no reply from Sapnap, so Karl can only guess he's in Pandora's Vault, all his items put away in a locker room. Karl technically has time to do it so he goes downstairs and fixes what they'd broken. He removes the planks and the boat and puts the setup back exactly as Puffy had it to begin with. 

He messages her for good measure, _so sorry again, the library's made everything better!_

If what he recalls from the public chat is accurate still, Puffy isn't having a great day. He hopes this helps at least a little. While he's near one, he retrieves his armor from an ender chest and suits up. Of course, he won't need to do any fighting (he _hopes_ he won't need to do any fighting) but the last time he'd stepped in to defend a fiancé, it'd been against Bad, who was fully equipped. He thinks of possible threats; he doubts he'll have a chance against Sam (the Warden), Dream (uh… yeah), or Punz (a mercenary) but Karl refuses to let them near Sapnap without a fight. Sapnap (and Quackity for that matter) can protect themselves better than Karl could, if he's being honest, but he's seen enough bloodshed by now to not at least _try._

His hands are shaking as he sets off towards the prison. The Prime Path, which normally rejuvenates anyone walking it, barely eases his nerves. The floral scent of Niki and Puffy's flower shop mixed with the sweet smell of Fundy and Ranboo's ice cream parlor helps keep him grounded, though, as he hurries by them. The latter pair used to be inseparable, Karl muses, playing various pranks on the server each day; now, Karl's not sure the last time he's even seen Fundy. Currently, Niki and Puffy are… still only one date in, he's pretty sure; Niki's just as missing in action as Fundy is. Karl takes a moment at the arch into the Holy Lands. The Church of Prime catches the sunlight nicely; it's one of the few things on the server he hasn't had a hand in, which is fine — Sapnap, Punz, and Eret worked well together. Karl continues. Purpled's UFO is long abandoned ( _assassin,_ his memory offers vaguely), Punz's property is crawling with blood vines (floor seven of the tower, a chest, and a plea for help flicker through Karl's mind), Tommy's plot of land is quiet without him there to entertain (the bench and its jukebox blur into a swing set underneath a crystal tree). 

The Biginnit Hotel has made progress but Karl's seen the finished product so it seems small in comparison. One day, it'll be bustling; alive and bright and safe, somewhere people can retreat to if they need. They won't realize it, but it'll be another project of Tommy's that brings them together. Despite all the fuss of how much trouble he causes, Dream was right about one thing: Tommy brings friendship to the server. (Karl tries not to think too much of the Vault of Attachments, of rescues too late, of Tubbo—). Tommy's charisma is to Karl's time traveling: impossible to ignore, sometimes annoying, life changing in more ways than one. He shakes his head. His focus right now needs to be on Sapnap, not the kid that everyone seems to think _asked_ to be a hero. 

Bad and Skeppy's mansion looms just ahead of him. It used to be magnificent. Now, it's been griefed, tarnished by the Egg, left unattended. And beyond it… 

A shiver runs down Karl's spine. 

Memories that aren't his — maybe? are they? — flash through his mind too fast to keep up with. Stuck in maximum security, kept under watch for knowing too much, for meddling too often. In a cell among cells, his friends in various stages of grief around him. Visiting Tommy, or Phil, or Techno, or anyone deemed too strong or dangerous or brave enough to stand against Dream. Taking refuge in the prison as the server is overrun with crimson. 

"Karl!" A voice calls, snapping him out of his daze.

He flinches and turns to find Punz sprinting up the path towards him. His eyes are blue. Karl sighs, relieved. "Hi, Punz."

Punz glances back and forth from Karl to the prison. "You, uh…"

Karl shrugs and wishes Punz weren't such a wildcard. He had helped build the Eiffel Tower for Karl and Sapnap's honeymoon, was generally kind to newcomers, and helpful to those down on their luck. Unfortunately, he went where money told him to which meant siding with Schlatt and Dream, as well as being prone to violence whenever he pleased. It makes it hard to know what he can and can't be trusted with. As of now, Karl knows (he always _knows,_ too much when he doesn't want to, too little when he needs to) Punz is no longer with the Eggpire for the "chaos" of it all. He's genuinely been corrupted. Karl wonders what he could've done to prevent that.

"Just looking."

"Looking?"

Karl remembers his earlier excuse. "For sand! I need sand. To make glass." He points in the direction of the bridge to Snowchester. "This beach was the first place I thought of." 

It's probably part of Punz's job description to be able to tell when people are lying. Karl doesn't think he's lying _technically._ He will need sand for his new home, eventually. 

"I can see if I have any to spare?" Punz offers. 

Karl is reminded of Punz being Lani's first customer at her Yeezy's shop, of Punz protecting Squeeks for Tubbo, of Punz interrupting Techno's execution. He makes a mental note to check in more often, to see what he can do about freeing Punz from the Egg's influence. "Yeah?" 

"'Course!" Punz grins, carefree. "I'll just leave you a chest at the Community House, in case we can't meet back up." 

Karl returns the smile and hopes it doesn’t look as tired as it feels. "Appreciate you, man." 

Punz is already on his way, calling over his shoulder, "don't worry about it!" 

Sapnap still hasn't messaged him back and Karl can do literally nothing until he's finished visiting Dream. So he sets off to the beach because even if he doesn't collect sand, he can at least try to relax in the sun. He's wound tight as a spring. He hasn't even had time yet to fully process the Masquerade; he'd been advised to move the library and so he'd jumped into it as soon as possible. The lounge chairs and umbrellas set up on the beach to improve Bad's property value are too good to ignore. Karl sinks into one, closes his eyes, and — 

_Ranboo standing proud with Blockbeard's sword, victorious in their treasure hunt._

_Ranbob approaching ~~Karl~~ Isaac and Charles, murderous intent clear on his face._

_Ranbutler demanding "go back in there, Karl," before chasing him down through the mansion._

Karl shoots up, gasping. He scrambles to check his comms. Nothing from Sapnap, but there in the public chat: _Sapnap was slain by awesamdude using [Warden's Will]_ (that's not normal prison protocol), _Ranboo joined the game_ (that timing's too convenient to be comfortable). 

He's typing a message to Sapnap as he hurries up and back towards the prison. _where u at_

_meeting ranboo at the community house._

Karl turns around and all but _sprints_ away from Pandora's Vault. No, no, no _no no no._ He might as well be flying for how fast he's moving. Up the stairs at the side of the mansion, a sharp right and then a quick left onto the Prime Path. Passes Puffy's mushroom home (wait, no, Ponk tore it down the other day), passes L'Targay (Schlatt's remains on sale, free body pillow included with purchase), passes the Harry Potter house (and its hidden wedding chapel), passes Tubbo's first ever base (is it being rebuilt?) — 

His head is spinning. There's so much. He nearly trips over the blood vines creeping onto the path. He catches himself on a lamppost. Breathes deep. Sapnap can protect himself. Full netherite. Armed to the teeth. Not defenseless like Robin, not clumsy like Benjamin, not alone like James. _Won't_ be alone, anyway, because Karl's going to be there. The same way he was there for Quackity. Just enough to help, not too much to interfere. He hurries along, knowing that he can at the very least be there for Sapnap _after_ the meeting. It'll be fine, he tries to reassure himself. For all he knows, Ranboo's just fine — 

A message in the public chat lights up his comms and his blood freezes. 

_sap????_

He's running again, despite the stitch in his side and the tightness in his chest. Please be okay, please be okay, _please be okay—_

"Karl?" 

A sob spills from his throat as he throws himself into Sapnap's arms. 

"Hey, hey, whoa, it's okay, what's going on?" Sapnap holds Karl up with ease, expression bewildered and concerned all at once. 

"You're okay. Are you okay? Are you hurt?" Karl chokes out, cradling Sapnap's face in his hands. He's so _warm,_ has always run warmer than anyone else. It helps ground Karl to reality. 

"I… yeah." Karl doesn't miss the way he hesitates. "I'm fine, dude. You're the one that came flying like a bat outta the Nether."

"Don't worry about me," Karl says flippantly. His legs are shaking so he takes Sapnap's hand and goes upstairs to the top floor of the Community House. The atmosphere is nicer here, all green and quiet. Sapnap takes his armor off (Karl follows suit) and sets it to the side before sitting against the wall; when Karl goes to join him, Sapnap pulls him right onto his lap. Karl can't help but giggle because of it, shifting until he's comfortable. Sapnap runs a hand through Karl's hair, watching him carefully. 

"You were really freaked out. I _am_ worried about you. Did something happen?" 

_There are so many timelines, something is always happening, you're dead in one, you could've been dead in this one._ "Had a bad feeling," Karl says instead. "Why'd you go see Dream?" 

Sapnap huffs, frustrated. "I don't know. It was dumb. It started as a joke but then Sam asked if I _really_ wanted to and I was already at the entrance, so I just… did. Shouldn't have bothered. He wasn't even talking." 

Karl takes a moment to connect the dots. Dream's strike comes after his first escape attempt. Are they really already there? How long had he been at the masquerade for? How much time had he lost to the Inbetween? 

"Seems like the only thing he cared about was Ranboo," Karl's attention snaps back to Sapnap. "We were best friends but he cares more about Ranboo. I didn't even think they knew each other." 

_They don't,_ Karl thinks, _not technically._

He catches Sapnap's hand in his own before he can start biting his nails. "I'm sorry it didn't go how you were hoping it to." 

Sapnap scoffs but Karl knows he's putting up a front. "I don't care, anyway. I just wanted to make sure Sam was doing his job right."

"That's not true and you know it," Karl tells him softly. "Of course you care, Sap, and that's okay. It's not something you can just turn off." 

Sapnap looks up, avoiding Karl's sympathetic frown. 

"He hurt a lot of people. He hurt _you._ You have every right to be angry, upset, disappointed." Karl reaches up and brushes away the stray tear rolling down Sapnap's cheek. "Talk to me?"

Sapnap clears his throat, dips his head, hides his face in Karl's hair. It means he's slightly muffled when he speaks but they're close enough that it hardly makes a difference. "I know it took me awhile to visit him. He even said so himself. I just… wasn't ready, I guess? I don't know if I ever would've been so this sorta just ripped the bandaid off. I'm kinda glad I got it over with…"

There's a _but_ there and Karl waits patiently for his fiancé to continue.

"I told him I'd visit more if it meant he'd stop acting up. I'm not sure I _want_ to visit more. He barely listened to me, kept disagreeing about his sentence. Cared more about me passing a message to Ranboo than anything else." 

A spike of worry. "You don't have to do anything you don't want to. If you do go back, you can bring me or George and we can be there for you after. Okay?"

"Okay," Sapnap echoes and then, a sigh, the tension melting out of him. "Yeah. Yeah, okay." 

"What does Dream even have to tell Ranboo?" Karl asks, aiming for lighthearted. " _Hi, sorry about that time I outed you as a traitor._ " 

If Sapnap wonders how Karl knows that happened when he wasn't even there for it, he doesn't mention it. "It was literally just a smiley face. I thought it was harmless enough, but—" Sapnap opens his comms. "What language even is this?" 

"Endspeak," Karl answers. Oops.

"How… what? How do you?" 

"I don't _know_ it! Just _of_ it. I've been doing a lot of reading lately."

Sapnap looks like he wants to pry but, thankfully, he doesn't. "He got all… stiff, after I showed him. Went dead quiet. And then just left. I hope he's okay." 

"I'm sure he is and if he isn't, he will be. We can check on him tomorrow," Karl suggests. He hopes he sticks around long enough to see this through. He and Ranboo are similar in their memory loss and Karl's been meaning to talk to him about it. 

Sapnap sighs again. "Maybe. We should go back and help finish the library." 

Karl puts his full weight into keeping Sapnap still. "Not yet! I'm cozy here." 

Sapnap rolls his eyes but his smile gives away his affection. "Whenever you're ready then." One hand returns to carding through Karl's hair. Karl holds the other, playing with Sapnap's fingers. 

He finally feels settled. There's nothing muffled about Sapnap's humming or the birds chirping. His head is floaty, because he's certain that he's safe at this moment in time. A warm breeze sweeps through the Community House, tickling his skin, reminding him of his solid existence here. All that matters right now is the sweet fresh taste of apples, the scent of hearth and home off of his fiancé, the feel of Sapnap's hand in his hair. 

Karl smiles. Closes his eyes. Takes a deep breath. 


End file.
